The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups
Pool A
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Chile
- Hong Kong
Pool B
- South Africa
- Italy
- Georgia
- Romania
Pool C
- Argentina
- Fiji
- Spain
- Canada
Pool D
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Uruguay
- Portugal
Pool E
- France
- Japan
- USA
- Samoa
Pool F
- England
- Wales
- Tonga
- Zimbabwe